Internal combustion engine



NOV. 3, 1931. FELBECK 1,830,197

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Nov. 12, 1926 INVENTOR.

Patented Nov.3. 1931 enonen 'r. rntnnomor nooxyrnrin onurnannw YOBK- 1 'iiirnmiiin comnus'rzon ENG-VINE.

ajiti c tion filed'Noyembr 12 ,?1925 f s eri i M lanese;

" This invention rclatesfto;improvements i internal combustion engines and itspurposeis to increase the efiiciencyof combustion re;

duce the Weight, snareg ennauieruse of a I methodspr spontaneously yariety offuels, more less volatile, ina given engine hav nga fixed compression ra tio. Thefinvention is'a pplicable to types of engines" in' which the fuel is drawn. 1 ntothe j cylinder through a carburetor with the intake 3 air or is sprayed directly intothe cylinder,

i *nition bein p effected by anylofj'the common To insure eflicie'nt operatien anjinternal' combustion engine'o'f'the typefnow commonly used in automobiles; the mixture; of fuel'and *airiformedrinfthe carburetor must be a min l ture'of gasified fuel'and'air and not a mix I 't'ure formed by small globules liquid fuel heldin suspensionin theme If the fuel is inotcompletely e'asi'lied", incon'lpl'ete and consequently' ineiiicient combustion" results because sufficient oxygen for; complete com bustion cannot [come into contact with the relatively large-particles of liquid fuel 'in the very short time ayailablefor the burning of the fuel. Unequal distribution of the fuel air mixture, to I the various cylindersf-Qf amulticylinder engine; crankcase dilution; the depositing of carbon on the cylinder head and piston etc". areother unfavorable results from incomplete vaporization of the fuel, The method now most commonly used; nr'at temptingto obtain a mixture-of truly gasified fuel and air in anlengine using acau' buretor with an intake ;man1foldf. for distributln'g, the mixture to the var ous cylin der's i is tov heat. the intake inianifold or a portionof it by means of the'e'xhaustgas on its way from'theexhaust valves of the various cylinders 'tothe "atmosphere; 7 Suchheating of the, charge is necessary to" completely volatilize the ordinary-"motor gasoline: now available Eyen with such preheating'as can thus'fbe' ohtainedfthe large aniountjof uses monoxide in the exhaust gas frointhe ordinary automobile. engine of today shows that com Vbustion is very ineflicient. A further dis]- ndvantage resultingjfrorn the preheating of the charge of fuel and airbefore it is drawn into the cylinder is that the'density of the therefore reduced and consequently the power 7 of the engine is reduced; fGbvio'u'sl'y the amount of preheating'thatcan bejd'one in i the intake manifold islimited to thatamount which -will not seriously lessen the power of the engine. "Therefore fuels materially 'less .volatile 'than the ordinarymptor gasolines now available cannot be used.

"i Ifa, fuel spray nozzle is used tio inject the fuel into each cylinder duringthe compression strokeof the ordinary four stroke cycle engine of today, the engine must be carefully;

designed"with a compression "ratio that is I suitable for the particular fuel that it is intendedto use so that the compression pressure and consequently the compression tem vp'eraturewvill be high'enough to insure vole tilization of the fuel but not' 'hig'h enough to produce pre-ignition' of the charge; Obvious: ly such perfect' design is impossible; so'jthat engines using fuel injection 'spray'valyes'are ordinarily 'designed s 'ithat injection of the" fuel does not occur until very shortly before the timefor ignition ofthe'fuel to occur, the compression pressure being as lovi as possible i to insure regular; ignition sby a'spaiik plug, a

hot iron plugor anelectric hot plug." The fuel do'esnot have time to vaporize or gasify beforejthe burning starts, so that again incomplete combustion results due to the fact-,1

that itisnot possible'for sufiicientoxygen to comeinto contactwith the relativelylargel globulesof liquid in the short time that is available for thecombustion ofthefuel. T

' Theprincipal-object of the present int n 'tion is to provide'an improved eng'ifie in mixture 'of fuel and air. is considerably de ,creas'ed'so that thefwe'ight of fuel and air drawn into a=cylinder of given Volume is 1 i spontaneous ignitioniis' to be -used,-;; these spark plugs will; functioni-only;during the startinggperiodg In the; operationoofm'tlie engine, assuming. the 'fuel'dnjectioninethod is used with electricignition, the two pistons Band 14 move in the cylinder is vaporized partly by the introduction of hot exhaust gases from another cylinderor chamber into the. cylinder, and

partly bythe compression of the mixture of- -fuel, air andhot gases. :By controlling the V amount of hot exhaust gas allowed toenter the cylinderv previous to compression, the in- UII ' ,itial temperature of the charge and the amount of heat-added to theffuel can be con trolled and consequently the compression temperature (which is dependenton the in-' itial temperature) may be. controlled.

v Variousother objects and "advantages in the invention and its method offoperation;

will appear moreclearly from the following V specification 1 taken withv the accompanying drawing in'vvhichthe figure shows-a vertical section ota-.two-cy1indcr engine, embody ng 1 thefeatures-ot the-inventions Althoughflthe invention may beemployed in connection with eng nes .embodylngvari- 011s numbers otcylinders and withitw'o stroke cycleswonfour stroke cycles, the improvement 7 is here 1 illustrated by 1 mtwo-cylindhr; four stroke {cycle engine; 1-0 having cylinders 1.11-

and 12 locatedsidejby side withi'pistons l if and -=14 ,.'-Inounted; to -operate in the respective cyl nders. Thespistons are connected. by con necting irods 15 .With thefcrank-sha tt- 1?) which carries: fly'whe'el I17 and is mounted]; in; bear ingslS. formed-qinithe walls of t'heicrank: case I 19. cylinders :are -provided-.? with; the usual Waterijaekets20-and areiconnectedaby ag.transversenpassagei 21? in; which is placed control valve 22: Inlet values 23 and; 2t and exhaust. valves: '25, and 26 are mountedfinrthe unpe hendsvof-cylinders '11 and" 12 respectiwely and-are akhipted tolbeoperated by anyj suitable mechamsm tocausetheu movements to be;;tin1ed-properly rwithithe movements; of the =pi'stons.=13, and 14;: Nozzles I 27" and 28,

.lead thnough the upper walls of cylinders :11

nohkused -e For the-purpose ofefiecting; nition-iofethechargeof each cylinder the proper' timeyspark. plugs 29 and 30- are-;pro.-

24L th l' injectiOn'nozzles arei of course,

videcL-in the upper endsi' o'f' thecylinders *1 1 and- 12..respectively; and these-spark plugs may bee-connectedinsthe usuaLina-nnerto any suitable-magneto-or other ignition device: (If

7 together and upon the first downwardstroke ofthe piston13 air is drawn into the cylinder 11 through the inlet valve 23. During the next up stroke or compression stroke, gasoline or other easily ignited fuel is injected into the cylinder, 11 through the nozzle 27 in the form. of a spray, and this fuel is ignited at the, end of the compression stroke by .aspark produced byplug 29. The combustion and subsequent expansion of the mixturein the cylinder produces a downward or power producing str0ke,-and as this stroke takes place, air is drawn into the parallel cylinder 12through the other inlet valve 24. This valve 24 'isclosed at or soon after the instant. thatthe pistons-l8 and 14 passthe upper edge of: the.connectingpassageway 21 and asthe' downward movelnent'of the pistons continues, portions-wot the hot; gases in the cylinder 11, which are then ata higher pressure than the air in the cylinder .12, will pass through valve 22 into the'cylinder l2,

and thus are available to efiect thecoinplete vaporizationof the fuel of low volatility whicln is now sprayed I into. cylinder 12 through nozzle When the second return stroke of thepistons takes place, the mixture of air, hot gases and. fuclinthe cylinder 12 is compressed bythe piston" 14 after the closing of tliepassage 21 by the initial. movement .ofjthe pistons. During this:= stroke the re mainder of :the h'otfgases iiicylindenll is I 'dischargedthrough the-valve'2L. Also duringthis stroke the fuel sprayed intocylinder 12 is being vaporizedand the air heated due to thepresence ofthe' hot gases from cylinder 11,.an'd ,thewhole mixture of air, hot gases and fuel is being heated up by the compression resulting from-the upstroke of piston 14. By the timethe compressionstroke 7 is nearly completed, the'liquid'tuel that has been sprayed into the cylinder will have been completely; vaporized andthe temperature of'the whole mass of gas raised to apoint just below the=ignition temperatureofthe fuel. Ignition is then effected by a spark. from plu'g'80. The combustion of the contents of the, cylinder ;12 ,then;.takes place, producing anotheriorward'or. downward stroke of the ;pistons,and ca-usinganew-chargeof'air to be drawn intothe'cylinder llthrough waive 23. Then :when the transverseipassage 21 is 1111-- covered: by the "pistons, a portion of the ,hotl gasesin the cylinder l2xfiows into the cylinder .11 to vaporize the, fuel of low xrolatility that is thensprayedinto cylins deral l through nozzle2j7. The next upward stroke of the pistonsefiects a compression of the mixtureiot air, hot, gases and fuel in the cylinder ll/duri'ng which the'fuel is completelymaporiZed', and the temperature ot the; contents of cylinder 11 is raised to a point just-below the ignition temperature o'f the fuel after WhichiQnit-ion is effected by-a spar-k t'rom plug29; Thiscycle ofoperations is repeatedj'as the successive strokes been pisv j ton's takeplace, thelpower st'rokes'of thelpisthe -particular being used andthe "load on the engine by slightly opening or closing to eifect complete vaporizationoit'thefuel, in 'acon plete combustion will occur; and the enhot gas to pass fromone'fcylinder to another, the fuel willbe heated t'o'such a temperature During the tons jtaking place' alternatel K 'ount of hot may be adjusted tosu it therequirements of valve 22, according as to whether thequantity of hot gas passing'fromone cylinder to -thefother is toibe increased 'orfdecreased. 'Thei proper adjustment of valve 22 may be readily determined by observing theoperation of the engine "If valve 22 is not open sufficient-1 1y to allow enough hotrgas tofpass through gine will become sluggish, while if valve :is open too far, thus' -pe'rmittingan excess that automatic ignition will occur during the or spontaneous ignition at the proper instant 'fo'r ,.smoother runningand maximum... power,

.it is only-necessary to adjust valve 22 until 1 varying the extent of opening of the valve the opening for gas passage will just permit the correct amount of hot gas to" pass from onecylinder to theother. Valve 22 may be passage 21. A. poppet type valve for instance .may be usedwhich-is open only during the time gas is' actually, passing throughithe valve the amount"of'gas being varied by or by varying the time and duration of the v opening. When idling or running at very low loads, the amount of air that is drawn into the cylinder of the type of engine'using fuelspray valves should bereduced bythrottling the inlet air by. a valvein the inlet manifold, as is done in carburetting engines. The ratio 01 the weight of'air t0 the weight on": fuel in the cylinder is thus kept down to the proper.

.. value'to maintain the necessary rate'of conibustion'toinsure complete and eflioient burn-. ing of the fuel. p There are, ofcourse, other arrangements of cylinders'that may be used in place of the one described; For instance, in a four stroke cycle. engine, a chamber may. be attached to the side" of thecylinder and connected thereto by a passage with a valve so that at the end of the explosion stroke the chamber isfilled with hot gases which are re turned at theend ofthe'suction stroke to the cylinder whence they -.came.- The same ar rangement may be-used with a two stroke cycle engineythe .pistonfopening and closing the passage from the cylinder to'the chamber before the exhaust passage'or valve is opened.

In-a'two stroke cycle double 'opposed piston Many advantages result from this invention'dueto the complete vaporization of the 'fuel, and due to the fact that thetemperature i'n a given engine. 1n the ordinary hot bulb engine in which vaporization of a part of the "fuel"is attempted during a short period near the end efthe compression stroke with i'gnitionresulting from the high temperatureof the i hot bulb, relatively high compression; I V v y pressures must be used, thatis, of the order of compressionstroke, and violent knocking in," the'engine" will result. To obtain automatic 300 lhpper sq. inQor 'aboveyin order-that the "air' which has been compressed shall be sufiiciently'hot so that the first portionof the fuel which is injected shall be vaporized; thus permitting ignition to be efi'ected by the hot bulb.

The remainder of the fuel which isinjected slowlyand continuously from the start,- is sf burned inefficiently; since combustion. is atsion stroke; since combustion-of all of the fuel atthehigh compressionpressure would result in a constant yolunie explosion developing; 1

ceedingly high explosive; 1 pressures. nce

or .Junkers type engine, thepassage of'hot gas'from one cylinder'toanother may be ac- "eomplished by placing the cranks of the two cylinders =at180 from each other, and locat- "ingt-hetransfer passageso that it is opened at- Fthe"time' 90 of the expansion stroke in :one cylinder" is; completed, being, of course, ."thet'sajr'ne time that 90- of the compression 4 stroke in the other cylinder is completed.

itffis 'notzpossibleito control the compression are very heavy and massive and costly "to f'inanufa'cture. The engine described in this specification uses a compress on ratio lower .thanethat which Wlll cause spontaneous i'gni- -tion ofthe-fuel by the heat "of compression '1 aloneofthefuel and air mixture, for instance of the order ofcompression rationow used in automobile and airplane, engines. (The charge of fuel may therefore be completely injected into the cylinder during the compressron stroke without. danger {of prelgnition.

By causing hot gases to enter the cylinder, as

described above, sufiicient jheat is supplied to ithe charge within the cylinder in additionflto the heat of compression, to vaporize the fuel and to raise-the finalcomp'ression tempera.

ture to the desired value for the given fuel ,which is just below or at its automatic igni= tion-temperature. .Thus with thisengine low compressionpressures may be used with 2 temperature preignition andviolent knocking occurs from tooearly injection ofthe fuel. lnbrder to 'providefor the possibility-of early injectionxand. preignition, these engines must :bebuilfsufliciently strong to withstand excessive explosion pressures," and consequently pletely vaporized 'orzgasified beforeleo nbus- *tion starts, and is also thoroughly mixed with resii'ltingt moderate; aeXplosiQH P FBS L YQI There isfno danger ogfpreignitionbbeyond the "controlsoit the operator,- Theftuelis comfthe ai-r due to :the turbulenceset up by theailb coming hot gases, so that combustion islrapid,

the 'fuel:being burned completely, resulting' in high engine :eflicienoy. #By eausing s'pon taneous; ignition to occur at thejpr ope'r 1nstant, more.;rap1d ECOmbLIS JLQII may be ,ob-

tainedthanby-electricor other ignition meth .ods, since with spontaneous ignition, com bustion :s'tartsat many points in the mass of gas at the same time, thus eliminating explosion-waves, .j J u 7 11h; high compression engines of thesemi- Diesel orffullDieselrtypes,;the use of this in- "know posslble 1n theseityzpfis. Further advantages accrue when the invenvention' itill :permit the: eflioient burning of even rheavier and lower grade :fuels than as "tion is used inconnection .with engines using carburetors. No :preh-eatinfg of the intake manifold isrneces'sary,sincethe fuel may be carried into: the cylinder with the airas a mist; The maximum Weight-of fuel-a1r-m1x-,

' ture may therefore :be (IlItLWIlylIltO-thQCYllllajder,gslnce no increase in temperature with "Di lt p v quickly-after starting.- 7 3 From the foregoing ittwill'be air-which is heated afteradmission to the 7 -cylinder andby'means of the hot -gases o'l a consequent reduction in densityoccurs in the :inlet manifold. Also,-since the fuel jiscompletely vaporized in the eylinder,.and-since- I the cylinder walls are .quicklyheated up when starting, even in :cold weather, no eondensa- 'tion of fuel occurs on the cylinder rwalls. fDilution-of the lubricating oil-is thus elimi rated, and; efficient operation 'a btained very H seen 'thatlthe 1 "ingten i-s rekeof itsipiston,,mean ?to hea ingth a es wadmi ted and th rebyin ea -,1'ngth lpr nrezthere f bytran jfe r g hot gases of combustion .to saidrgGylinder directly wfromianeth rofth ylindersan mea for leontrollingith press re and empe t r o the charge tobe compressed during the next Stlfoke .ofthei pistonbyregulating the quantity of: the hot combustion gases so trans- .ierred. 7 v v 1 V 1 3.'-The method vof operating an internal combustion engine-which -,c'omprises-,drawing air intothe cylinder by the suction created ,during -recessi0n: ofits1 piston, heating the airiso. admitted by injecting hotgases into qsaiduair after; the admission of the latter to V the'cylindenthereby increasing the temperature "and pressure ofthe charge,rcompressing the mixture thus formed, burning a fuel therewith,- and Varying the-compression tem-;

. 'perlature in the cylinder at 'thei-time of ignition by regulating thequantity of hot gases :ad1nitted;to the cylinder." 1 r r 4 .The' method ofioperating-an internal ingi air to the cylinder, increasing the" temperature of the said air byinj ecting hot gases ['under; super atmospheric pressure into the 7 cylinder after the admission of the air, said combustion engine Which comprises deliver-1'.

z'hotigases being admitted in such quantity anclt at suchtemperfature as to'volatilize the fuel Without preigniting the 5 same, and varying the c-ompressionpressure in the cylinder at the time .of ignition by regulating the quantityof' hot gases so vadmitted to the cylinder;

In testimony whereoflIJatfix mysignature, T, FELBECK, 4i

combustion, may -be either air to Whieh'fuel whether the engine is of the 'carburetor or I ments described here, an engine "maybe built-of low-weight and low-cost, in which practically any f-ueI may be burned efl iciently, without danger of By means ofthe improye present-liquid fuel-engines.

-haspreViously;been admitted ,or air to which. i the fuel is later admitted, dependingiupon prei gnition, and without iexcessivegpressures thus 'resultingzin many advantages over the I "plishing spontaneous ignition com-prising means for admlt-tlng hot gases under superatmospheric pressure totheeylinder and means fortiming the ignition 'comp'risi-ng 1 means for vary ng the amount of hot gases admittedito-the' c linder.

2. An internal combustionenginehaving a plurality of cylinders, pistons therein, means Tforadmitting air to one of the cylinders dur- 

